Overseas media give prominent coverage to China´s NPC, CPPCC sessions

Source: Xinhua | 03-06-2008 15:47

The world's leading media organizations are paying close attention to the ongoing sessions of China's National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The focus of overseas media on Wednesday was on Premier Wen Jiabao's government report, economic development goals, inflation control and China's energy conservation and environmental protection measures.

Major world news agencies including Reuters, the Associated Press (AP) and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) gave prominent coverage to the opening of the First Session of the 11th NPC on Wednesday and published stories commenting and analyzing the key points of Wen's report, such as inflation control and economic development goals.

Reuters highlighted that the primary task of the Chinese government's macro-economic control underlined in Wen's report is to prevent rapid economic growth from becoming overheated and keeping price hikes from turning into significant inflation.

AP's reports focused on the contents of deepening economic structural adjustment, transforming development mode, saving energy and cutting pollutant emissions and ensuring product quality and safety.

French news agency AFP highlighted the report's contents on curbing price hikes and promoting stable and rapid economic development.

The Sankei Shimbun, a major Japanese newspaper, said in an article on Wednesday that Wen's report underlined the problems related to people's livelihood and changing the past practice of chasing speed in developing its economy, a posture demonstrating the Chinese government's guideline of striving for social fairness and justice.

The report shows the Chinese government is promoting the concept of energy conservation and environmental protection, the newspaper said, adding that China's basic line for drafting policies is to follow the Scientific Outlook on Development raised at last October's 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to achieve the goal of sustainable development.

The Independent, a Russian newspaper, said on Wednesday that China's NPC will approve the government's guideline of balancing its economic development, speeding up the development of the underdeveloped provinces and preventing a deterioration of the environment.

The NPC session is expected to approve measures to shift to a new economic development mode, aimed at changing from extensive to intensive development, saving resources, protecting the environment and building a harmonious society based on social justice, the newspaper said.

Rodong Sinmun and Minju Choson, two newspapers of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), reported on Wednesday the opening of the 11th National Committee of the CPPCC and the work report by CPPCC National Committee Chairman Jia Qinglin.

Also on Wednesday, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency centered its China-related coverage on Wen's work report and measures to be taken by the new government to contain price hikes.

The agency has released special reports designated for the NPC and the CPPCC since Monday. With nearly ten news stories released everyday, the agency has focused on the functioning of China's top legislature and the advisory body, the component of deputies of the two gatherings and the main issues to be discussed at the meetings.

Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun said on Tuesday that ways to control inflation will top the meetings' agenda in a bid to achieve economic and social stability.

South Korea's Herald Business highlighted on Monday the significance of the two meetings since they are held as the country is marking the 30th anniversary of China's reform and opening up and they also come as the first of such gatherings after the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October.

AP said on Monday that "the NPC and CPPCC provide an important forum for communication between the political elite and ordinary Chinese amid rapid social changes."

The legislature is expected to discuss proposals to improve efficiency and streamline the central government by reducing the number of cabinet agencies, it said.

The Wall Street Journal also said the NPC will review plans of larger government departments aimed at speeding up the political reform.

Germany's Deutsche Welle radio said in a commentary that this year's NPC and CPPCC will present themselves as two down-to-earth meetings in implementing polices of the October party congress and committing to government structural reform.

The Australian paper said on Monday that structural reforms within the cabinet agencies will help regroup resources and improve efficiency.

Editor:Xiong Qu